


Finding Sclerenchyma

by CookiesandCas



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Behind the Scenes, Confrontations, Friendship, Gen, Plant facts, Senpai-Kouhai Relationship, Trash Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-27
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-11-05 12:38:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11013594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CookiesandCas/pseuds/CookiesandCas
Summary: drabble based on the idea that Bokuto is protective of his small crow son, Hinata, and also very proud when he makes it to Nationals





	Finding Sclerenchyma

                 “You know, I wish the upperclassmen from our prefecture were more like you guys,” Hinata said as he twisted the tip of his water bottle. They were standing in third gym, all worn out from the hours of playing after a long day of practice matches, but that didn’t stop them from sitting around even longer and just talking.

                Tsukishima rolled his eyes, but inwardly agreed. Bokuto, Akaashi, and Kuroo were very different from their other opponents, that’s for sure. They had fun beating each other, sure, but at the end of the day… they had the most fun just playing. Win or lose.

                Bokuto put his own water bottle down and raised a brow at that. “What are they like?” And more importantly, who was hurting his small crow son. See, this is why he kept telling Akaashi they needed to adopt Hinata. Well, that and his potential as a spiker.

                Hinata leaned back and sighed. “Well, there’s Oikawa-san from Seijō. Everyone loves him because he’s pretty or something, and he’s got lots of fan girls. But he’s really mean to Kageyama for some reason. He was Kageyama’s senpai in middle school, and I guess he was worried Kageyama was going to replace him because he thinks all of Kageyama’s talent is just natural. Which I get. I thought so too before I started practicing with him,” he explained and paused, eyes narrowing then.

                “Then there’s Ushijima from Shiratorizawa.”  Hinata’s pursed his lips and shook his head bitter. Bokuto knew that name and pursed his lips too. He’s forgotten Hinata had him in his prefecture. Hinata kept talking though. “He said that if Seijō was unfertile soil, then Karasuno was like trying to grow a plant in concrete.”

                “That would be the Sclerenchyma tissue,” Akaashi said, not even looking up from where he’s been studying loose threads on his shorts idly.

                “The what?” Hinata asked, staring at him until he finally looked up.

                “Weeds. They can grow up through concrete because of sclerenchyma tissue covering the outside of the plant in a super durable layer of protective cells. It’s also the driving force behind bamboo torture,” the setter explained with a small smile that made Hinata’s stomach twist uneasily.

                “Well, there you go,” Kuroo said with a bright smile. “You just have to figure out what’s the protective tissue of your team, and burrow right through the concrete and shove your weeds right in his smug face.”

                Hinata looked at Tsukishima who he found was looking back at him. Protective tissue? What could that be?

                Bokuto grinned at that. “Please, do. It would be so awesome to see Mr. Perfect go down! Then we can head off at Nationals!” He reached out, and Hinata hive-fived him with the widest grin.

                “Only if we don’t kick you out of your precious throne,” Kuroo retorted.

                “Bring it, Tetsu-chan!”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Bonus:

 

                It had been a good, long match, and Bokuto was glad he and Akaashi had come to see Karasuno defeat Shiratorizawa. It seemed like they’d found their protective tissue in their upperclassmen, Akaashi had pointed out.  Their upperclassmen’s skills rivaled none, that’s for certain. While less eye catching than Tsukishima’s quick thinking and kill blocks, Kageyama’s super precision setting, and Hinata’s inhuman speed and agility, they had definitely been the backbone that made all those talents come together to be of any use.

                Bokuto was commenting on such when he watched Miyagi prefecture’s star setter walking about from Mr. Perfect himself. Useless pride – now that was something.

                “You underestimated them,” Bokuto said, smirking when Ushijima turned around to face him. All stoic and bitter as per usual. What else did he expect? A smile?

                “No one could have predicted that. It was a fluke,” Ushijima replied. “Bokuto-san. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

                “Had to cheer on my favorite little ace-to-be. Shō-chan has been practicing with me after all. He has a lot of potential. Tsuki-san too. It was very satisfying to watch him block your kill. I predicted they would win.” Bokuto said smugly, hands in his pocket. “Didn’t you think so too, Keiji?”

                Akaashi nodded. “A plant that grows through concrete will always grow stronger than one in fertile soil.” He spoke, looking Ushijima in the eyes like a warning. Akaashi was quiet and much less robust in his affection for Hinata, but he did not take insults to him lightly. Maybe it was Kenma and Bokuto’s fondness for the boy or his own protective nature of the small boy, but it had irked him since that evening in third gym that Ushijima had dismissed him so lightly.

                Ushijima returned the stare and finally nodded, understanding Akaashi’s words with a pit of bitterness in his stomach. “An oversight on my part. It won’t happen again.”

                Bokuto and Akaashi began to walk away from the ace to let him brew at that. But Bokuto couldn’t resist looking over his shoulder and calling, “See you at Nationals, Second Place.”

 


End file.
